Publication:
Access to Financial Services : A Review of the Issues and Public Policy Objectives
dc.contributor.author | Claessens, Stijn | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2012-06-25T18:09:26Z | |
dc.date.available | 2012-06-25T18:09:26Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2005-05 | |
dc.description.abstract | This paper reviews the evidence on the importance of finance for economic well-being, provides data on the degree of use of basic financial services by households and firms across a sample of countries, assesses the desirability of more universal access, and overviews the macroeconomic, legal, and regulatory obstacles to access using general evidence and case studies. Although access to finance can be very beneficial, the data show that universal use is far from prevalent in many countries, especially developing countries. At the same time, universal access has generally not been a public policy objective and is surely not easily achievable in most countries. Countries can, however, undertake many actions to facilitate access to financial services, including through strengthening their institutional infrastructures, liberalizing and opening up their markets and facilitating greater competition, and encouraging innovative use of know-how and technology. Government attempts and interventions to directly broaden the provision of access to finance, however, are fraught with risks and costs, among others, the risk of missing the targeted groups. The author concludes with possible global actions aimed at improving data on access and use, and areas for further analysis to help identify the constraints to broadening access. | en |
dc.identifier | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2005/05/5800525/access-financial-services-review-issues-public-policy-objectives | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10986/8958 | |
dc.language | English | |
dc.publisher | World Bank, Washington, DC | |
dc.relation.ispartofseries | Policy Research Working Paper; No. 3589 | |
dc.rights | CC BY 3.0 IGO | |
dc.rights.holder | World Bank | |
dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ | |
dc.subject | ACCOUNTING | |
dc.subject | ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS | |
dc.subject | ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE | |
dc.subject | BANK ACCOUNTS | |
dc.subject | BANK OF ENGLAND | |
dc.subject | BANKING SERVICES | |
dc.subject | BANKING SYSTEM | |
dc.subject | BANKING SYSTEMS | |
dc.subject | BANKS | |
dc.subject | CAPITAL ADEQUACY | |
dc.subject | CAPITAL MARKETS | |
dc.subject | CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS | |
dc.subject | CAPITALIZATION | |
dc.subject | CHECKING | |
dc.subject | CLEAN WATER | |
dc.subject | COMMERCIAL BANKS | |
dc.subject | CORPORATE SECTOR | |
dc.subject | COUNTRIES | |
dc.subject | DATA AVAILABILITY | |
dc.subject | DATA COLLECTION | |
dc.subject | DEFICITS | |
dc.subject | DEPOSITS | |
dc.subject | DOMESTIC STOCK MARKETS | |
dc.subject | DOMESTIC/FOREIGN BANKS | |
dc.subject | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | |
dc.subject | ECONOMIC GROWTH | |
dc.subject | ECONOMIES OF SCALE | |
dc.subject | EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE | |
dc.subject | EXPENDITURES | |
dc.subject | FACTORING | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL CRISES | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL DEEPENING | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL INTERMEDIATION | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL MARKETS | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL REFORM | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL SECTOR | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL SERVICES | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL STABILITY | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL STRUCTURE | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL SYSTEMS | |
dc.subject | FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS | |
dc.subject | FIRMS | |
dc.subject | FIXED COSTS | |
dc.subject | GLOBALIZATION | |
dc.subject | HEALTH CARE | |
dc.subject | HEALTH CARE SERVICES | |
dc.subject | HEALTH SERVICES | |
dc.subject | INCOME | |
dc.subject | INCOME DISTRIBUTION | |
dc.subject | INCOME LEVEL | |
dc.subject | INCOME LEVELS | |
dc.subject | INEQUALITY | |
dc.subject | INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY | |
dc.subject | INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT | |
dc.subject | INSURANCE | |
dc.subject | INTEREST RATES | |
dc.subject | INVESTMENT CLIMATE | |
dc.subject | LAWS | |
dc.subject | LEGAL SYSTEMS | |
dc.subject | LIQUIDITY | |
dc.subject | MARKET FAILURES | |
dc.subject | MICROFINANCE | |
dc.subject | MONEY LAUNDERING | |
dc.subject | POLICY RESEARCH | |
dc.subject | PRIMARY EDUCATION | |
dc.subject | PRIVATIZATION | |
dc.subject | PRODUCTIVITY | |
dc.subject | PROFITABILITY | |
dc.subject | PROPERTY RIGHTS | |
dc.subject | PUBLIC GOODS | |
dc.subject | PUBLIC POLICY | |
dc.subject | PUBLIC SERVICES | |
dc.subject | PUBLIC/PRIVATE BANKS | |
dc.subject | REGULATORY APPROACHES | |
dc.subject | RETAIL BANKS | |
dc.subject | REVERSE CAUSALITY | |
dc.subject | SAVINGS | |
dc.subject | SAVINGS BANKS | |
dc.subject | SECURITIES | |
dc.subject | SECURITIES MARKETS | |
dc.subject | STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES | |
dc.subject | TAXATION | |
dc.subject | URBAN AREAS | |
dc.subject | WAGES | |
dc.title | Access to Financial Services : A Review of the Issues and Public Policy Objectives | en |
dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
okr.doctype | Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper | |
okr.doctype | Publications & Research | |
okr.docurl | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2005/05/5800525/access-financial-services-review-issues-public-policy-objectives | |
okr.globalpractice | Poverty | |
okr.globalpractice | Finance and Markets | |
okr.globalpractice | Governance | |
okr.identifier.doi | 10.1596/1813-9450-3589 | |
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum | 000090341_20050515132903 | |
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum | 5800525 | |
okr.identifier.report | WPS3589 | |
okr.language.supported | en | |
okr.pdfurl | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2005/05/15/000090341_20050515132903/Rendered/PDF/wps3589.pdf | en |
okr.relation.associatedurl | https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/16428 | |
okr.topic | Finance and Financial Sector Development :: Financial Intermediation | |
okr.topic | Banks and Banking Reform | |
okr.topic | Health Economics and Finance | |
okr.topic | Poverty Reduction :: Poverty Assessment | |
okr.topic | Governance :: Governance Indicators | |
okr.unit | Development Research Group (DECRG) | |
okr.volume | 1 of 1 | |
relation.isSeriesOfPublication | 26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87 |
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